1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a keyboard manufacturing apparatus and method that provide improved printing of at least one of letters, symbols, numbers, and patterns onto a keycap of a keyboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
A keyboard is a computer input device configured with a housing and keycaps. The keyboard is configured with, for example, keycaps for Hangul, English letters, numbers and special characters and 12 functions. A letter, symbol, number or pattern is printed onto each keycap so that a user can recognize the keycap.
The types of printing onto a keycap include double shot injection molding, dye sublimation, screen printing, laser engraving and inkjet printing.
In double shot injection molding, a character is not printed but is molded using two different kinds of plastics. This technique may produce a clear character on the keycap, but it may increase manufacturing costs. It may also be difficult to express a complicated character, in particular, delicate portions thereof.
In dye sublimation, ink is allowed to permeate into a plastic resin at high temperature and high pressure. The character printed in this way is highly durable and may not provide tactile sensation thereof to the user when the keycap thereof is pressed, but this printing may produce blurred character edges.
In screen printing, a character is printed as ink is forced though the hollow parts in a stencil onto which the character is to be printed. Screen printing is easy and inexpensive, but it requires preparation of separate stencils for different products model and colors. Accordingly, many different stencils need to be produced and managed, resulting in low production efficiency with respect to time and costs.
In laser engraving, which is widely used today, the surface of the keycap is burned to engrave a required character. This technique may require low cost and provide digital engraving, but it may leave dot-like traces since it burns the surface of the keycap during the process of engraving. Further, the colors for the characters are limited since the characters are produced by laser burning.
In inkjet printing, fine dots sprayed through a nozzle create an image. Inkjet printing may produce the image in various colors and may be digitally carried out, but printing is performed at lower speed than in other techniques and adhesion between the ink and the keycap is weaker than in other techniques.